Nelson Fires Cleamons, Then Defeats Knicks

Longtime Coach Returns To The Sidelines

The last time Don Nelson coached in the NBA, the New York Knicks played terribly.

So Nelson came back to the NBA Thursday, and again the Knicks played terribly.

But this time Nelson was smiling as the Knicks, who fired him 22 months ago in what seemed like the end of Nelson's coaching career, were stunned losers as Nelson's lowly Dallas Mavericks beat New York 105-91.

That was a much bigger surprise than Nelson's return to coaching, which had been rumored for months. Nelson, the Mavericks' general manager, and Jim Cleamons, the former Bulls assistant whom Nelson inherited as coach last season, rarely spoke and disagreed on everything from philosophy to facial hair.

It's an unfortunate situation, but one we felt had to be made," said Nelson, who was hugged by his players as the game ended Thursday night. "We basically saw our franchise heading in the wrong direction. (Owner) Ross (Perot Jr.) asked me if I would take the team over, and I accepted. He also talked to me about (coaching) a couple of years after this.

"I don't think there is anyone better qualified outside to hire and bring into this tough situation. I told the players I brought most of them here by way of trade or draft. I have confidence in them. Not that we are going to win a championship, but I believe we can play better basketball and have more fun doing it.

"I am a demanding coach, and my players have to understand that about me," said Nelson, whose career went into decline when he was run out of Golden State in a player revolt led by Chris Webber and Latrell Sprewell. "I have had players come and go and have only a few who have not enjoyed the association."

Count Sprewell among them--and Cleamons, even if Nelson said, "I respect Jim very much. He is a wonderful man."

There may be some differing opinions.

Cleamons, who had no official comment, reportedly told his team earlier Thursday that he would begin taking computer classes.

Nelson, the seventh winningest coach in NBA history and three-time Coach of the Year, is back doing what he said he never would do again, coaching in the NBA, and doing it where he said he never would again, in Dallas.

The Mavericks were 4-12 this season under Cleamons, 28-70 since Cleamons was hired before the 1996-97 season. Dallas lost 12 of its first 13 games.

But Cleamons, despite Nelson's assertions to the contrary, was doomed since Nelson's hiring.

Nelson and Cleamons clashed in style. Cleamons tried to develop a defensive-oriented team built around the Bulls' triangle offense while Nelson always has been an offensive-minded coach who likes to utilize small lineups and considerable isolation play.

When Nelson made his Dallas debut Thursday against the team he last coached, the Knicks, Nelson started a front line of A.C. Green, Dennis Scott at power forward, and Michael Finley. The Mavs were the first team this season to score 100 points against New York.

With the league's worst record in the 1990s, Dallas had a record 27 different players last season after a series of major deals that included trading Jason Kidd, for which Cleamons was widely blamed, and then a huge Nelson-inspired February trade that sent away Jim Jackson, Sam Cassell, Chris Gatling and George McCloud. Then Nelson traded Derek Harper for Dennis Scott in the summer and announced that the Mavericks should make the playoffs, putting further unrealistic expectations on Cleamons.

Cleamons will be paid the remainder of his four-year $5 million contract. Nelson, who signed a five-year $8 million deal when he was hired last year, is expected to renegotiate his contract next summer to reflect the bigger coaching contracts being paid these days.